About Us → News & Events Stigma Warrior: Meet Arda

My name is Arda Karapinar (Panosian). I am an activist, community writer, and founder of @redribbontr - Turkey's leading HIV CSO. I’ve been doing activism at local and international levels for 11 years.

In my perspective, HIV activism does not only mean providing reliable information to society nor providing them testing or medication. HIV activism is one of the most powerful tools which strengthens you to transform the world into a more viable place and to try to provide equal opportunity in accessing health services.

We live in an age where borders are becoming more and more symbolic, we are intertwined, and we are easily influenced by each other wherever we are in the world. And working to address inequalities in HIV is one of the greatest favors we can do for humanity and our shared future.

The reason, why I am so passionate about fighting HIV stigma, is that I strongly believe this type of stigma is preventable with the right behaviors and strategies.

 And the best way for me to fighting stigma is fighting with ideas but not people. Actively listening to those people and their reasons why they are acting in this way will help us to understand the central theme and then we can create a case by case strategy to end HIV stigma.

Together we fight stigma. Together we are HIV Advocates.

#StigmaWarrior